This invention relates to a recording method and apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for recording motion events for stationary as well as moving structures.
The insurance industry estimates the cost of property damage, bodily injury and related expenses for motor vehicle accidents exceed approximately $250 billion annually. This figure is only expected to increase. Moreover, the industry further estimates xe2x80x9clow speedxe2x80x9d collisions account for approximately 80% of all reported motor vehicle accidents.
Many of these low speed collisions are associated with subjective injuries. The expenses associated with such collisions and injuries could be dramatically reduced if the magnitude and severity of the accident were known. Generally, to determine the magnitude and severity, the accident must be xe2x80x9creconstructedxe2x80x9d.
Similar considerations apply to stationary structures such as buildings, bridges, and the like subjected to seismic events such as earthquakes, tidal waves, and the like, as well as to packages with a fragile contents.
In the area of automobile accident reconstruction, an accident analyst determines how an accident most probably occurred by measuring, among other factors, the length of the skid marks, the extent of vehicle and property damage, the weather, and the conditions of the road at the time of the accident. This method of reconstructing accidents has been shown at times to be both expensive and inaccurate.
Alternatively, most commercial aircraft are equipped with a xe2x80x9cblack boxxe2x80x9d. This device records pertinent data from the aircraft""s major subsystems as the aircraft is operating. If an accident occurs, the xe2x80x9cblack boxxe2x80x9d can generally be recovered and the recorded information extracted. This information can be used to determine the status of the subsystems just prior to the accident. Determining the status of the subsystems just prior to the accident can be used to reconstruct the events leading up to the accident, and assist the investigators in determining the accident""s cause. Black box recording devices have proven invaluable in aviation accident reconstruction.
However, this type of technology is costly, and generally limited to large and expensive vehicles, such as aircraft. In addition, these types of devices must be able to survive the impact forces associated with aircraft accidents. These devices. tend to be too costly, too cumbersome and consume too much power to be acceptable for automobile use.
Numerous performance recording devices have been designed prior to the present invention, specifically for use with automobiles. Some typical devices are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,829 to Montaron, U.S. Pat. No. 5,430,432 to Camhi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,024 to Riley, Jr. et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,464 to Woll et al. However, until the present invention, such prior art devices did not disclose a self-contained apparatus suitable for long term use, i.e. one year or longer.
These prior art devices suffer from a number of drawbacks. Generally, these devices must be interconnected with the major subsystems of the automobile, i.e. power, ignition, steering, braking, etc. They are not self contained and are expensive to install and maintain. Additionally, providing a means for interconnection to the automobile subsystems provides a means for access to the device, so that tampering may occur. Moreover, those prior art devices that are truly self-contained have a short life span, i.e., on the order of several months, but at least less than one year.
Thus there is a need for a tamper-proof, self-contained recording apparatus and method that records and provides information useful for accident reconstruction and for reconstruction of forces experienced by a structure during seismic events such as earthquakes. There is further a need to provide such an apparatus and method that is easy to install and maintain and has a life span of one year or greater to coincide with the vehicle""s annual service.
The present invention provides a new and useful recording method and apparatus for motion events experienced by moving as well as stationary structures. The present invention is a self-contained device that records and provides information useful for event reconstruction without requiring interconnection to any external power supply or source. The apparatus is adapted for mounting to the structure to be monitored, can be factory sealed, is self-contained and has a useful life of at least one year. The power supply for the apparatus is a battery that can be replaced or recharged, as desired.
The present invention comprises a sealed housing enclosing at least a controller device, sensors and. recording devices. The controller device includes a power consumption manager that manages and conserves the overall power of the apparatus. The sensor device is in operable communication with the controller device and generates signals representative of motion experienced by a stationary or normally moving or movable structure, such as a vehicle or a package being handled, during a predetermined time interval. Finally, the recording device, which is also in operable communication with the controller device, stores data that corresponds to the generated signals.
In a preferred embodiment, the present apparatus includes a power source in operable association with a power consumption manager. The power consumption manager operates the controller at a relatively high power consumption state while a predetermined event is detected, and at a relatively low power consumption state, or in a stop or wait mode, prior to and subsequent to, detection of the predetermined event.
Other contemplated features include a plurality of sensors, two recording elements (long and short term recording elements) and an external interface. The sensors monitor acceleration in at least two directions and generate signals. The two recording elements store the data or information that corresponds to the generated signals. In one preferred embodiment the recording elements store the data generated over a predetermined period of time immediately prior, during, and subsequent to the detection of the predetermined event. The interface also provides a means for externally accessing the information stored in at least one of the two recording elements.
The present invention further includes a method for recording motion using a sealed, self-contained recorder apparatus. The method includes sensing the acceleration of the structure along at least two directions and generating signals indicative thereof. It is further contemplated that information that corresponds to the signals generated over a predetermined period of time are recorded and stored, which signals are indicative of an accident-type event, a seismic event or an impact event. All of the above steps are controlled by a microprocessor or control logic circuits operating in a relatively high power consumption state when a predetermined acceleration is detected and in a relatively low power consumption state when it is not.